Adaptable partitioned organizer

ABSTRACT

An organizer having a frame with an open top portion and a substantially planar floor with a wall extending around the floor to define a storage chamber therein is disclosed. A substantially planar divider is detachably secured to the frame so as to divide the storage chamber into a plurality of storage areas. In a preferred embodiment, the organizer is operably received within the drawer of a storage device, and the storage device has a substantially planar top surface for resting other structures, such as other storage devices, thereon. Alternatively, the organizer can be detachably secured within a pre-existing shelf or drawer system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/570,977 filed on May 14, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adaptable organizer. In particular, the organizer includes one or more removable and adjustable dividers therein and is sized to allow stacking of other organizers thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Organizers, and particularly drawer-type office organizers, are widely used. The typical drawer-type organizer is usually constructed of inexpensive, non-aesthetically pleasing materials, such as plastic or the like. These types of drawer-type organizer have unnecessarily limited utility and they often take up too much valuable desk space or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Despite the benefits offered by these types of organizers, there remains a need an aesthetically pleasing organizer that is more versatile and able to optimize use of available space. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.

The organizer is a frame having an open top portion and a substantially planar floor with a wall extending around the floor to define a storage chamber therein. A substantially planar divider is detachably secured to the frame so as to divide the storage into a plurality of storage areas. In a preferred embodiment, the organizer is operably received within the drawer of a storage device. Alternatively, the organizer can be detachably secured within a pre-existing shelf or drawer system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a right, front isometric view of a drawer-type organizer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the drawer-type organizer of FIG. 1 showing a possible drawer open configuration and with a vertical organizer resting thereon in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial view of the drawer-type organizer of FIG. 1 showing a drawer in the open configuration.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of internal structure of the opened drawer in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partial view of an alternative drawer-type organizer having a partitioned organizer detachably secured therein in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an alternative preferred partitioned organizer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An adjustable partitioned organizer 20 is disclosed in FIGS. 1-6.

In one embodiment, the organizer 20 is a drawer-type organizer that includes a frame 22 having a front side 24, a backside 26, a left side 28, a right side 30 and a lower side 32. Preferably the front side 24 and backside 26 are parrallelly aligned. The frame 22 is preferably open at the front side 24 and includes one or more sliding drawers 34 extendable therefrom.

Preferably, each sliding drawer 34 includes one or more substantially planar vertical dividers 40 (which are also commonly referred to as “partitions”) therein that are parrallelly aligned with the front side 24 and backside 26 of the organizer 20. More preferably, a plurality of dividers 40 a, 40 b are provided, each spaced apart from the other by a defined distance 44. Accordingly, office supply and other items, such as paper clips, pens, and the like can be stored in the space between adjacent dividers 40 a, 40 b, and the defined space 44′ between the front side 51 and back side 53 of the drawer 34 and the adjacent dividers 40 a, 40 b, respectively.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 & 4, the location of the dividers 40 within the drawer 34 are also preferably adjustable so as to allow a user to individually select and adjust the distances 44, 44′ as needed.

One or more of the dividers 40 a, 40 b are preferably detachably secured to the drawer 34. One structure for detachably securing the dividers to the organizer is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A pair of spaced-apart protrusions 50 is positioned along the left side 28 and right side 30 of the organizer 20 to define a slot 62 for receiving a divider 40 therethrough. Preferably two pairs of protrusions 50 are positioned on each side 28, 30 of the drawer and vertically aligned so as to define an elongate vertical slot 62′ for receiving a divider 36 therethrough.

More preferably, a pair of protrusions 50 is positioned toward the top 34 of the drawer 34, and a pair of protrusions 50 is positioned toward the floor 80 of the drawer so the elongate vertical slot 62′ extends from the top 34 to floor 80 of the drawer 34 for receiving a divider 40 therein. Matching sets of pairs of protrusions 60 are positioned on the left side 26 of the drawer 34 with the resulting slot (not shown) on the left side 29 aligned with the elongate vertical slot 62′ formed on the right side 31 thereby allowing a divider 40 to be operably secured within the two slots as shown.

Preferably, the frame 22 of the organizer 20 is formed of planar metal or the like with the pairs of spaced-apart protrusions 50 formed within the metal using known means and methods such as machine punching and the like. More preferably, the planar metal is bent and riveted together so as to provide an aesthetically pleasing structure.

If desired, unused or removed dividers 40 can be stored within the drawer 34 in a stack. This is accomplished by simply not inserting the dividers 40 into the slots 62′ formed by the pairs of protrusions 50.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the drawer-type organizer 20 preferably has a flat top 60 and is sized to allow a separate organizer 70, such as the vertical organizer shown in FIG. 2 or the like to be stacked thereon. Of course, a plurality of the drawer-type organizers 20 can be stacked on top each other using the same principle. Accordingly, use of available desk space or the like is optimized.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, alternative partition-type storage devices 20′, 20″, respectively in accordance principles of the present invention are disclosed. In order to avoid undue repetition, like elements between these alternative preferred embodiments and the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, have like element numbers.

In FIG. 5, a substantially planar partitioned storage device 20′ is detachably received within a drawer 34 of an organizer 20′. The planar partitioned storage devices include frame 22 having a substantially planar floor, an open top and a wall around said floor so as to define a storage chamber therein. A plurality of dividers 40 are secured to the frame within the storage chamber therein so as to define a plurality of storage areas 41 for receiving items therein. The planar partitioned storage device 20′ serves as a removable tray that can be placed within the drawer 34, or completely removed from the drawer 34 without disturbing the contents of the planar storage device 20′.

Referring to FIG. 6, the planar partitioned storage device 20′ of FIG. 5 has been adapted to allow one or more dividers 40 to be detachably secured therein. Preferably, these dividers 40 are detachably secured to the planar partitioned storage device 20′ with known structures such as the within slots 62, 62′ defined by a pair of spaced apart protrusions 50 as previously descried. More preferably, a plurality of such structures 50 is provided with the planar storage devices to so as to allow a user to select the location of each partition 40 to size the resulting storage area 41 as needed.

If desired, the storage areas 41 of the planar partitioned storage device can be further segmented using detachable dividers 40 aligned substantially perpendicular to each other as shown in FIG. 6. One or more longitudinal partitions 40′ each including one or more divider mounting portions 50 along their length may be detachability secured between the left and right sides of the planar partitioned storage device 20″. Accordingly, additional dividers 40 may be installed on the divider mounting portions 50 of the longitudinal partitions as shown. Of course, the longitudinal dividers 40′ may be rigidly secured to the storage device if desired.

Preferably, each drawer 34 includes a pull handle (not shown) on its front, outer surface, and a label holder (not shown). In addition, non-slip feet (not shown) and the like are placed on the lower side 32 of the organizer 20 so as to prevent inadvertent movement of the organizer and prevent it from scratching surfaces that it is placed upon.

Having described and illustrated the principles of our invention with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. For example, although the preferred material forming the frame 22 and dividers 40 is sheets of metal, any other suitable material such as molded plastic or the like could also be used.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles may be put, it should be recognized that the detailed embodiment is illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of our invention. Accordingly, we claim as our invention all such modifications as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto. 

1. An organizer comprising: a frame having a front side, a back side, left side, right side, an open top portion and a substantially planar floor, said front, back, left and right sides having a wall extending from said floor defining a storage area therein; a substantially planar divider detachably secured to the frame, said divider aligned substantially vertically so as to separate said storage area into to at least two separate storage areas.
 2. The organizer of claim 1, further including a second planar divider detachably secured to the frame, said second planar divider and said planar divider spaced apart from each other and aligned substantially parallel to each other.
 3. The organizer of claim 1, wherein said substantially planar divider is detachably secured to the frame with a pair of spaced apart protrusions defining a slot for receiving the substantially planar divider therein.
 4. The organizer of claim 3, further including a plurality of said pair of spaced apart protrusions aligned substantially vertically along said left side and said right side of said frame, thereby defining an elongate slot on said left side and said right side for detachably receiving said divider therein.
 5. The organizer of claim 1, wherein said frame and said divider are formed with sheets of substantially planar metal.
 6. The organizer of claim 5, wherein said frame is formed with a sheet of substantially planar metal bent to form a substantially rectangular box.
 7. The organizer of claim 1, further including a drawer-type storage device, and said frame is detachably secured within said drawer-type storage device.
 8. The organizer of claim 1, further including a second substantially planar divider, and said planar divider and said substantially planar divider are aligned substantially perpendicular to each other within said frame.
 9. The organizer of claim 8, wherein said second substantially planar divider is detachably secured within said frame.
 10. An organizer comprising: a frame having a front side, a back side, left side, right side, said front side having an opening; a drawer having walls defining a storage chamber therein, said drawer extendable through said opening; a substantially planar partition detachably secured to said walls of said drawer so as to define a plurality of storage areas within said storage chamber.
 11. The organizer of claim 10, further including a second planar divider detachably secured to the walls of said drawer, said second planar divider and said planar divider spaced apart from each other and aligned substantially parallel to each other.
 12. The organizer of claim 10, wherein said substantially planar divider is detachably secured to the drawer with a pair of spaced apart protrusions defining a slot for receiving the substantially planar divider therein.
 13. The organizer of claim 12, further including a plurality of said pair of spaced apart protrusions aligned substantially vertically along a left side and a right side of said drawer, thereby defining an elongate slot on said left side and said right side for detachably receiving said divider therein.
 14. The organizer of claim 10, wherein said frame, said drawer, and said divider are formed with sheets of substantially planar metal.
 15. The organizer of claim 14, wherein said frame is formed with a sheet of substantially planar metal bent to form a substantially rectangular box.
 16. The organizer of claim 10, wherein said frame has a substantially flat top portion for resting objects thereon. 